A "Great Day": The Context of a Johannine Expression (John 7:37; 19:31) in Second Temple Literature and Qumran (1QS 10.4; 4Q265 7 i.4)

The author of the Gospel of John twice identifies a day as "great" (John 7:37; 19:31). A survey of Second Temple and Qumran literature reveals four instances in which days are described as "great" in a liturgical context. The expression "great day" appears to function as a reference to a festival day, equivalent to the Late Biblical Hebrew "holy day" ([inline-graphic 01], Neh 10:32 MT) or the mishnaic "good day" ([inline-graphic 02]). This lends support to understanding John 7:37 as referring to the eighth day of Tabernacles/Sukkoth, and John 19:31 to a coincidence of the Sabbath and Passover on the day after the crucifixion.